To save his world from rampaging demons, Dana goes on a dangerous quest to find Solomon's Key and seal the monsters away. An audacious mix between an action game and a giant puzzle, Solomon's Key is one of the toughest challenges on the NES, but also one of its most endearing adventures.
The player is required to combine logic and cunning reflexes to unravel all the mysteries of each room. Several secrets ought to be unlocked by the brightest minds, and only a few have been deemed worthy of seeing all the different endings. Will you be clever enough?








User Comments
1. Zweck36
25 Feb 2007, 20:42 GMT
This game is fantastic, and incredibly hard. It is a challenge that will earn your 500 wii points
2. Wolf
06 Mar 2007, 05:26 GMT
Infinite continues would be nice with the Wii's rom-freezing feature. I don't like playing those first levels over and over but this is a really great game! It's worth the time it takes to master it.
3. Jazzem
06 Mar 2007, 21:28 GMT
It is great indeed
The VC's underrated NES game, very worth the 500 points. And yes, it does have infinite continues, after the game over screen (which came up very frequently for me >_>), you're sent back to the title screen, but pressing start brings you to the level you were just on. <br> <br>But as I say, it's brilliant. Difficult though, the relief I had completing it was a lot to say the least!
4. Jonno
14 Mar 2007, 18:40 GMT
One of the hardest NES games out there, Solomon's Key will infact win the hearts of many Puzzle and RPG fans.
5. nephew77
09 May 2007, 03:08 BST
I skipped over this one in the 80s and 90s. I have it now on the VC, and it is great. Disregard the graphics. The puzzles will keep you coming back! 4/5 stars from me too.
6. Harmonica
01 Jun 2007, 18:38 BST
I love this game. FYI, there are infinite continues. At the GDV screen (game over screen), hit Up+A+B. Good luck all!
7. SKTTR
11 Jun 2007, 09:52 BST
It is a challenging game and a REAL CLASSIC!
It's got many levels as well as good graphics for an NES game.
It's got tight controls, tons of secrets and just one of the best soundtracks on the NES ever.
With unlimited continues and Wii-save-function everyone can play through it. I give it 4 Stars.
8. LiekosOfMobius
24 Jul 2007, 23:58 BST
There was apparently a Monster Rancher game based on this released for the Game Boy Color. It used the same game mechanics and even has the same room clearing jingle this has.
9. Flip13lolb
05 Aug 2007, 20:49 BST
aesome game it is a platformer and a puzzle
10. NintendoFan25Years
15 Aug 2007, 22:54 BST
I like puzzlers but this is a waste of $5; (I can only get to 2 levels)I am going to delete it and buy adventures of lolo. Bomberman 93 and Chew Man Fu are 2 games that are must downloads for puzzle fans!!
11. sanjuro
15 Oct 2007, 15:59 BST
If you give up after 2 levels, you have a serious issue with puzzle games, haha !
It isn't that hard, especially with continues.
12. Dee
03 Dec 2007, 00:09 GMT
I loved this game when I was about 10 - I can't wait for release in the EU!
13. Dazza
03 Dec 2007, 07:34 GMT
Dee - You don't need to wait any longer. The EU got this game on 15 Dec 2006!!
14. Dee
04 Dec 2007, 00:34 GMT
I can't seem to find it anywhere - really want it but don't know how to get it!!! Ahhhh!
15. chris h.
27 Dec 2007, 19:35 GMT
even with infinite continues, the game is still pretty bad. anti-climactic un unnecessarily hard. i made the mistake of downloading this game on virtual consoleand just wasted 500 wii points. dont get this game. dont even accept it as a gift
16. learn japanese ds
15 Jan 2008, 05:32 GMT
hmmm. from the video I can totally see how this game could be cool. I still think it was a strange choice for a VC launch game though...
17. Zweck36
21 Jan 2008, 21:14 GMT
I love love love this game, but it is hard as hell
18. Adamant
23 Feb 2008, 07:50 GMT
It's not THAT hard, people. Just learn the solution to the levels, and they'll fall easily. If I can beat it, so can you.
19. 2097
26 Feb 2008, 23:41 GMT
As someone who breezed through Lolo 1 & 2 (except PROB, C and D), this is harder, I guess because of the faster action. I've cleared the first ten rooms. Still looking for a difficult puzzler (as opposed to a difficult action game). So far I like this game and will play more.
Dig the boxart, too.
20. 2097
27 Feb 2008, 11:34 GMT
I haven't really gotten the feel of this game. I feel like I'm brute-forcing through the levels.
21. Adamant
28 Feb 2008, 11:20 GMT
It takes a while to get used to. The best hint I can give is "learn the levels". Learn the sure-fire method that will always enable you to beat a level every time you try it. Collect extra lives and fairies. Learn where the hidden treasures are. Knowledge is everything in this game, since you'll keep getting booted back to the title screen if you die too much. I can get through the first 30-or-so levels without dying without too much trouble, and rack up about 15 lives on the way - all it takes is practice and a willingness to learn safe methods rather than ramboing through. Remember that fireballs are there for a reason, too.
22. 2097
02 Mar 2008, 21:52 GMT
I've spent hours on that horrible room 17.
23. Adamant
17 Mar 2008, 19:47 GMT
Room 17 is easy, you just need to block yourself in completely every time you move to a new concrete block.
At the beginning, wait for the ball right in front of you to pass you, then make a block toyour left, get on top of it to reach the concrete block, and make blocks to your left and right. Wait for the balls to travel clear off the blocks you've been making, then destroy the block you made to the left, make a block right under where it was when the ball on the next concrete block has passed, then walk over to it and make blocks to your right and left again, protecting you from the balls as they travel to outskirt of the room. Continue like this until you're past all the concrete blocks and balls, then extend the floor all the way to the left, while leaving a small hole for the balls to travel through once they return to this area. block the hole when the balls try getting back out. No problem.
24. 2097
16 Jun 2008, 00:08 BST
Yeah, I figured that much but it still took my about four sessions to actually do it. Maybe over a hundred tries. I like this game a lot as an action game but it wasn't what I was looking for when I bought it, which was right on the heels of the Lolo games that I already found too much based on timing and action. I like timing/action games too, but sometimes I just want to think, not practice my twiddly fingers (sometimes it's the opposite), it's a mood thing, I guess. Solomon's Key for me falls squarely into the "twiddly fingers" camp. Thanks for the advice.
25. sparrow-1993
23 Jun 2008, 08:52 BST
I downloaded this yesterday, it was well worth 500 points.
26. Golgo
10 Sep 2008, 14:34 BST
Finally finished it, after chipping away on-and-off for weeks. Superb game. The levels are really beautifully crafted, although they do get increasingly hellish. Rooms 43 and 46 must be among the most fiendish ever committed to code - they had me chewing the furniture...
Anyway, I wish Tecmo would update this rather than pumping out their silly, soft-porn, boobs-on-the-beach 'games'.
Can anyone recommend a similar experience on VC?
Adventures of Lolo, maybe?
27. Adamant
16 Oct 2008, 06:47 BST
Solomon's Key is unique. The closest you'd get would be the Lode Runner games, but they're really not that similiar.
28. Corbie
24 Oct 2008, 08:16 BST
Still a fun game, but nothing groundbreaking. Of course it never really was to begin with.
29. Ferret75
31 Jan 2009, 20:34 GMT
A fun game, but dang it's hard.
30. Golgo
12 Feb 2009, 20:35 GMT
@ Corbie. It may not have been groundbreaking, but I think that it did combine action and puzzling in a more innovative (and evil) way than anything I can think of for that generation. That said, I haven't got Lolo yet, so I know shit...
31. KnucklesSonic8
09 Mar 2009, 04:52 GMT
For only 500 points, I'm even more eager to give this a try!
32. linrek-1
12 Jul 2009, 22:16 BST
Buy it now, it is a forever shining gem =)
33. linrek-1
12 Jul 2009, 22:19 BST
"twiddly fingers" camp.. did you meen the word skill?
34. LEGEND MARIOID
05 Sep 2009, 22:35 BST
8/10 all the way
35. deeztreezeez
30 Nov 2009, 00:18 GMT
I had the one for the original gameboy...bought this a month ago, this game is SOO awesome. Go Figure, a week or two after I bought the NES version the release the Arcade version on the VC...oh well this game still kicks butt
36. TNT
04 Feb 2010, 20:28 GMT
The only contue I can do is back to the first level
37. TNT
04 Feb 2010, 20:29 GMT
If someone can tell me how to continue i will tell how to skip from level 15 to 21
38. TNT
09 Feb 2010, 15:49 GMT
I figured out that you continue by pressing up a and b AT THE SAME TIME!
39. TNT
09 Feb 2010, 15:50 GMT
now I need to know how to beat level 43